Iodized Salt Usage Act to be enforced after 26 years

The government is to implement an Act related to the production and sale of iodized salt, 26 years after it was enacted.

The Act was formulated in 2000.

It was finally brought into implementation after a meeting of the Council of Ministers on April 15 approved a proposal presented by Minister for Health and Population Pradeep Paudel.

With this, a legal path has now opened to address health issues found in children due to excess iodine intake, as identified in a prior research conducted by the Ministry of Health.

The Act could not be implemented because successive governments failed to publish a separate Gazette notification to bring the Act into force.

Due to this delay, necessary regulations and guidelines could not be formulated.

The Council of Ministers has decided to publish the Gazette notification with effect from July 17.

A 2016 micronutrient survey found iodine levels in urine samples of children aged 6–9 at 314 micrograms per litre, exceeding the acceptable limit of 300.

Doctors link this to high blood pressure, thyroid, and other health problems.